Later in the film, Tarkin is informed of a Rebel attack on Scarif, the planet where the plans to the Death Star are kept. [17] The ILM team searched through hours of footage to find suitable material of Cushing to build from, footage from A New Hope was lit very differently to the lighting used in Rogue One and had to be digitally changed. However, Tarkin is rescued just in time by Anakin’s Padawan Ahsoka Tano (voiced by Ashley Eckstein). Rogue One: A Star Wars Story scored an Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects, and a new video from the George Lucas–founded visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic makes a compelling case for why the film should take home the prize. He allows the Rebels to escape the Death Star with Leia after placing a tracking beacon on the Millennium Falcon in order to find the Rebel base.

Tarkin appears via hologram in the season three finale, being briefed on Thrawn's imminent attack on Atollon to stymie a coordinated Rebel attack on Lothal. Star Wars: Tarkin explores the title character's origins, and chronicles how he meets and aligns himself with Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader prior to the events of A New Hope. The late Robin Williams, for instance, left his likeness to a trust with a condition that protects his image for 25 years after his death, effectively preventing him from being digitally recreated for movies or advertisements. Upon learning that Leia's coerced information was false, Tarkin orders Leia's execution. During a skirmish, Tarkin fights and attempts to execute Citadel Warden Osi Sobeck (voiced by James Arnold Taylor), but fails when Sobeck swiftly retaliates and nearly kills him. He subsequently grants her request for use of the Seventh Fleet, commanded by Grand Admiral Thrawn (voiced by Lars Mikkelsen). I watched Peter Cushing’s scenes over and over to try to get as close as I could to his physical and vocal qualities and mannerisms. Tarkin later appears in the season three premiere where he meets with Governor Pryce (voiced by Mary Elizabeth Glynn) regarding the Lothal Rebels. Doesn't Have Time to Play Those Reindeer Games, scored an Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects, protects his image for 25 years after his death. [26] He visits the planet Lothal to deal with its growing Rebel activity, and reprimands Minister Maketh Tua (voiced by Kath Soucie), Agent Kallus (voiced by David Oyelowo), and the Inquisitor for their repeated failures to stop the planet's Rebel cell. Fictional character in the Star Wars universe, Cushing is also given a special credit acknowledgement for this movie, as Peter Cushing, Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy, "Star Wars: That Time Grand Moff Tarkin Blew Up Alderaan While Wearing Slippers", Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, "How Did Rogue One Legally Re-create the Late Peter Cushing? Actor Peter Cushing died in 1994, but he was able to reprise his role as Grand Moff Tarkin in the 2016 movie, with ILM digitally recreating the character on screen. The VFX reel shows Guy Henry stepping into the role on set, providing Tarkin’s voice and a motion capture performance onto which ILM painstakingly superimposed Cushing’s likeness.

He is commander of the Death Star, the Galactic Empire's dwarf planet-sized battle station. While he is first introduced as a superior officer of Darth Vader, the series also portrays his life prior to the first film, including having known Vader’s former Jedi self, Anakin Skywalker, and having been instrumental in the rise of the Empire.

Tarkin has been called "one of the most formidable villains in Star Wars history. [3] As the Emperor would not appear until later in the original trilogy, Lucas used Tarkin's final version as the "main villain" of the first film, a personification of the Empire. [5], During the production of Star Wars, Peter Cushing found Tarkin's boots, furnished by the wardrobe department, to be very uncomfortable. In the third season, Captain Tarkin and Jedi Master Even Piell (voiced by Blair Bess) are ambushed and attacked by Separatist forces.

In the fifth season, Tarkin, now an admiral, suspects Ahsoka of masterminding a terrorist attack on the Jedi Temple, and attempts to have the Padawan arrested.

Introduced in the first film in the original Star Wars trilogy, Grand Moff Tarkin is the Governor of the Imperial Outland Regions, and commander of the Death Star. [28] Tarkin's Star Destroyer, the Executrix, is introduced; it later appears in Rogue One. Tarkin appears in Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel, the prequel novel to Rogue One, where Tarkin forms a rivalry with Advanced Weapons Director Orson Krennic.

He is also mentioned during the Legacy of the Force novel series as having been present on Zonama Sekot with Anakin Skywalker. The Jedi concede and Ahsoka is tried before a jury of senators, with Tarkin heading the prosecution while Padmé Amidala (voiced by Catherine Taber) heads the defense. The Rebels' message gets sent out, but Tarkin then orders the tower to be destroyed. He is best-known for his roles in Rome (2005) and John Adams (2008). ILM also released a VFX reel showing off the studio’s methods for creating a space battle above Scarif: You’ve run out of free articles. Tarkin has the Inquisitor execute Commandant Aresko and Taskmaster Grint (both voiced by David Shaughnessy) for their inability to deal with the cell's leader, Jedi Master Kanan Jarrus (voiced by Freddie Prinze Jr.). Towards the end of season four, he warns Thrawn that he must prove the worth of his TIE Defender programme, Thrawn's prototype design of a new Imperial Star Fighter, or it will be shut down in favor of diverting resources to Krennic's “Stardust project” - later known as the Death Star. Initially pessimistic about being in enemy territory, Tarkin puts himself at odds with Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker (voiced by Matt Lanter), but their respective opinions of each other improve when each realizes that both know Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (voiced by Ian Abercrombie). He has done most of his work at the Royal Shakespeare Company. [22] After Emperor Palpatine dissolves the Galactic Senate, Tarkin and Darth Vader (portrayed by David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones) are charged with pursuing and destroying the Rebel Alliance. On Lothal, Tarkin introduces Agent Kallus to Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones). He orders the jump to hyperspace to the planet, where an ongoing battle between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance rages. By joining Slate Plus you support our work and get exclusive content. Tarkin oversees the Death Star's first attack on the Rebellion when it is used to destroy a holy city on the planet Jedha. Guy Henry, Actor: Rogue One. [19] The result, which has been called "one of the most complex and costly CGI re-creations ever", received a mixed response, with questions being raised about the morality of using a dead actor's likeness.[20][21]. [10], In the 2005 prequel film Revenge of the Sith, Wayne Pygram was able to achieve the likeness of a young version of Tarkin through the use of prosthetic makeup. Following a glittering stage career and a string of high-profile television roles, Guy Henry rose to prominence when he accepted the role of Pius Thicknesse in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 & 2. [29], With the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney Company, most of the licensed Star Wars novels and comics produced since the originating 1977 film Star Wars were rebranded as Star Wars Legends and declared non-canon to the franchise in April 2014.[28][30][31].

You can cancel anytime. Director George Lucas agreed to limit shots where Cushing's feet would be visible, allowing him to wear slippers.

[4] According to a book created to help promote the original film to prospective theaters, he aspires to become the Emperor. [27] The novel was one of the first four canon novels to be released in 2014 and 2015. While Cushing’s estate consented to Disney using the late actor’s likeness in Rogue One, the move has raised certain legal and ethical questions about digitally resurrecting dead performers. He threatens Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) with the destruction of her home planet, Alderaan, if Leia does not reveal the location of the Rebel main base of operations. In the television series Star Wars Rebels, Tarkin (voiced once again by Stanton) starts off as Governor of the Outer Rim territories, including Lothal, but later in the series has the Grand Moff title.

He is subsequently killed when Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) succeeds in destroying the Death Star through firing torpedoes into the exhaust port. In the television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the young version of Tarkin, voiced by Stephen Stanton, appears in the Republic Navy as a Captain and later an Admiral during the Clone Wars.[25]. [18] The owners of Cushing's estate were heavily involved with the creation and had input right down to "small, subtle adjustments". Tarkin has the Death Star target and destroy the Scarif base, killing Krennic, Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), and any other survivors of the ground battle, while Vader handles the Rebel fleet. [14][15] Henry had studied Cushing's mannerisms many years previously for the lead role in British TV show Young Sherlock,[16] but insisted on a screen test as he was not comfortable that his vocal imitation was accurate, stating he sounded more "Peter O'Toole than Peter Cushing". His philosophy of "ruling through fear of force", dubbed the Tarkin Doctrine, became central to Imperial policy and promoted him to become the first Grand Moff in the Galactic Empire.

Join Slate Plus to continue reading, and you’ll get unlimited access to all our work—and support Slate’s independent journalism. Knowing the true meaning behind the summoning after the deaths of Aresko and Grint, Tua attempts to defect, but she is killed before she can leave Lothal. When Leia names the planet Dantooine as the base's location, he destroys Alderaan regardless, hoping to make an example out of the planet's support of the Rebellion. Kanan is tortured by the Inquisitor and transported to the Mustafar system aboard Tarkin's Star Destroyer. ", "The actor behind the CGI Tarkin in 'Rogue One' tells us how he created the character", "How 'Rogue One' Brought Back Familiar Faces", "CGI resurrection of Peter Cushing is thrilling – but is it right? In the comics series Darth Vader and the Lost Command, Tarkin is seen telling Vader of a missing convoy of Imperial craft and adds that his own son was in command of the convoy and is also missing. ", "Get your exclusive first look at Grand Moff Tarkin on 'Star Wars Rebels, "Disney and Random House announce relaunch of, "Star Wars: A Guide to the New Ships of Rogue One", From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Grand_Moff_Tarkin&oldid=979202581, Fictional characters who committed genocide, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 19 September 2020, at 11:46. Governor Wilhuff Tarkin is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise, debuting as the main antagonist of the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, alongside Sith Lord Darth Vader. All rights reserved. After Ahsoka is recaptured, Tarkin requests that the Jedi Order expel her and turn her over to the Republic so she can receive more "impartial" judgement. "[2], Grand Moff Tarkin's character was originally conceived as a holy man from the planet Aquila, but was changed later in the creative process into an antagonist. ", "See How 'Rogue One' Brought Peter Cushing Back As Grand Moff Tarkin", "Rogue One: Peter Cushing resurrected as Grand Moff Tarkin via CGI was impressive, but was it ethical?